Clothes-line reel and tightener.



B. M. KNEISLEY.

CLOTHES LINE REEL AND TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1908.

926,576. Patented June 29, 1909.

3 wuenfoz 93W g3 y mum RUSSELL M. KNEISLEY, OF OARROLLTON, MISSOURI.

CLOTHES-LINE REEL AND TIGHTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed May 6, 1908. Serial No. 431,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUSSELL M. KNnIs- LEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Carrollton, in the county of Carroll and State ofMissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes-LineReels and Tighteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes line reels and tighteners and has forits object to provide a simple and practical reel for the manipulationof clothes line, said reel embodying a plurality of drums in connectionwith means for winding and holding said drums independently of eachother, one of the drums being adapted for the reception of the clothesline and another drum being adapted for the reception of a hoistingline, whereby the line of the clothes may be tightened and also raisedand lowered.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of theclothes line reel and tightener applied to a support, showing also aclothes line and hoisting line connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the reel. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the reel.Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the reel taken in line with theshaft thereof.

The reel comprises a pair of oppositely arranged bracket arms 1, each ofwhich is sub stantially U-shaped as shown in Fig. 3, the said arms beingconnected together rigidly by top and bottom cross bars 2 and 3respectively, which cross bars are provided with apertures at and 5 forthe reception of suitable fasteners such as screws whereby the reel as awhole may be secured to a suitable support 5 which may consist of apost, wall or fence and the like. The top and bottom cross bars areprovided with terminal angular flanges 6 and 7 adapted to receivefasteners S by which the cross bars are connected to the top and bottomportions of the bracket arms 1. The projecting portions of the bracketarms 1 are also connected by an additional brace or cross bar 9 providedwith terminal flanges 10 secured by fasteners 11 to said bracket arms.Journaled in the opposite bracket arms 1 is a reel shaft embodying apair of sections 12 and 13 and by reference to Fig. 4 it will be notedthat one of the sections is provided with a pintle 14 which is receivedand works within a (mrrcsponding recess 15 in the other shaft section.In this Way, the shaft sections are connected by an inter'fittingengagement which admits of the relative and independent rotation of theshaft sections by means of operating cranks 16 and 17 which are mountedfast on the outer extremities of the shaft sections as indicated in Fig.2. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the shaft sections aresquared as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and mounted upon each of saidsections is a drum, one of said drums 18 being designed to receive theclothes line illustrated at 19 while the other drum 20 is adapted toreceive the hoisting line 21. On each shaft section there is alsomounted a ratchet wheel 22 which is engaged by a corresponding pawl 23to prevent the drum from turning backward and unwinding the line afterthe line is wound thereon by means of the crank 16 or 17 as the case maybe.

At a suitable distance above the reel there is arranged a guide 24 whichis shown for convenience in the form of a ring secured to the support 5by means of a staple 25. The hoisting line is provided terminally with aguide block 26 through which the clothes line 19 passes.

It will now be understood that after placing the clothes upon the lineif), said line may be wound up to any desired tension by turning theappropriate drum. The other drum is then turned to wind up the hoistingline 2] which has the effect of elevating the pulley line 26 and raisingthe end portion of the clothes line in a manner illustrated in Fig. 1.The clothes line may be easily lowered by unwinding the line 21 to thedesired extent.

I claim:

A clothes line reel comprising a bracket, a divlded shalt ournaled insaid bracket and embodying sections having an interiitting 1 ing crankson said shaft sections whereby engagement at their adjoining ends andthey are independently operable. 10 adapted for relative rotation, drumsfast In testimony whereof I aflix my signature on said shaft sections,one adapted to rein presence 0" two witnesses.

5 eeive and wind a clothes line and another RUSSELL M. KNEISLEY.

adapted to receive and wind a hoisting line, Vitnesses: pawl and ratchetmeans to hold said drums ERCELB SNAVELY, from rotation in one direction,and operat- KATIE B. CLARK.

